The Australian government invited industry stakeholders to submit opinions online earlier this year, in light of the
Strategic Review of the Student Visa Program, and their opinions certainly make interesting reading, suggesting easily resolvable problems in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector, and reflecting an appetite for increased regulation for education agencies, many of which operate in Australia.
A trawl through various submissions has revealed contentious issues regarding Australia’s student visa program, with Australia Go’s director, Alain Daniel Ruthenburg, claiming that dodgy agents
and schools are undermining the industry. The director of the education agency, which has offices in Brazil and Japan as well as Australia, says 99 per cent of his clients are now looking for cheap courses where attendance requirements are low, although this was not always the case.
"Ninety per cent of the international students are looking for this type of deal. We can not offer these type of deals, because it is against my ethical and business behaviour," he wrote, continuing.. "I am losing more than 50 per cent or more of my business to other agents who do offer these type of courses."
Ruthenburg makes three suggestions, including that the country’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) should review the current waiver of attendance monitoring for all vocational education and training (VET) organisations. "Also, I would recommend that the English level of the students accepted into any VET courses in Australia would have to be via showing IELTS or equivalent results, only official, and not accept only observations saying anything to show that the student is fluent or has good English," he noted, adding that more attention to an education agency's bona fides (and visa status) should also be expected.
Many other submissions echoed a desire for communication between education agencies and the government to be improved. Atlas Education in lndia’s director, Nishidhar Reddy, said: “Agent organisations should be recognised as major stakeholders. They should be trained on policy issues and feedback should be considered.”
And another representation from overseas, from Narayan Bajaj, President of the Nepalese agency association, NAEER, wanted greater authority being given to professional education agencies in matters of visa issuance. Bajaj said, “The academic entry requirements should be rested upon education providers, and the visa officer should not have further concern once an admission letter is given to the student.”
How to work well and attest to the bona fides of education agencies worldwide is certainly one consideration that the Australian government is rumoured to be grappling with. Agents commonly agreed that there should be more agent regulations.
The review has also revealed that financial requirements are overly restrictive, according to various agency submissions. Reddy, Atlas Education’s director, is among others who think the A$18,000 per year applicants have to prove access to to live in Australia is too high and unrealistic. He suggests that the true cost of living in Australia is A$12,500.
The Australian government invited industry stakeholders to submit opinions online earlier this year, in light of the Strategic Review of the Student Visa Program, and their opinions certainly make interesting reading, suggesting easily resolvable problems in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector, and reflecting an appetite for increased regulation for education agencies, many of which operate in Australia.
A trawl through various submissions has revealed contentious issues regarding Australia’s student visa program, with Australia Go’s director, Alain Daniel Ruthenburg, claiming that dodgy agents and schools are undermining the industry. The director of the education agency, which has offices in Brazil and Japan as well as Australia, says 99 per cent of his clients are now looking for cheap courses where attendance requirements are low, although this was not always the case.
“Ninety per cent of the international students are looking for this type of deal. We can not offer these type of deals, because it is against my ethical and business behaviour,” he wrote, continuing.. “I am losing more than 50 per cent or more of my business to other agents who do offer these type of courses.”
Ruthenburg makes three suggestions, including that the country’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) should review the current waiver of attendance monitoring for all vocational education and training (VET) organisations. “Also, I would recommend that the English level of the students accepted into any VET courses in Australia would have to be via showing IELTS or equivalent results, only official, and not accept only observations saying anything to show that the student is fluent or has good English,” he noted, adding that more attention to an education agency’s bona fides (and visa status) should also be expected.
Many other submissions echoed a desire for communication between education agencies and the government to be improved. Atlas Education in lndia’s director, Nishidhar Reddy, said: “Agent organisations should be recognised as major stakeholders. They should be trained on policy issues and feedback should be considered.”
And another representation from overseas, from Narayan Bajaj, President of the Nepalese agency association, NAEER, wanted greater authority being given to professional education agencies in matters of visa issuance. Bajaj said, “The academic entry requirements should be rested upon education providers, and the visa officer should not have further concern once an admission letter is given to the student.”
How to work well and attest to the bona fides of education agencies worldwide is certainly one consideration that the Australian government is rumoured to be grappling with. Agents commonly agreed that there should be more agent regulations.
The review has also revealed that financial requirements are overly restrictive, according to various agency submissions. Reddy, Atlas Education’s director, is among others who think the A$18,000 per year applicants have to prove access to to live in Australia is too high and unrealistic. He suggests that the true cost of living in Australia is A$12,500.
